Comey becomes the eighth former federal prosecutor to join the firm’s White Collar Defense & Investigations Team

Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP is pleased to announce that Maurene Comey, a former Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, has joined the firm as a partner in its Litigation department. Ms. Comey will focus her practice on high-stakes white collar defense and investigations and complex civil litigation. She joins a highly accomplished team that now includes eight former federal prosecutors, a former senior counsel for the SEC Enforcement Division, and a former Attorney General of the State of New Jersey.

Prior to joining Patterson Belknap, Ms. Comey spent almost a decade as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, where she most recently served as senior trial counsel. She was previously co-chief of both the Public Corruption Unit and the Violent and Organized Crime Unit. In those roles, Ms. Comey supervised more than 20 Assistant U.S. Attorneys in various investigations, prosecutions, and trials. She worked closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, as well as Department of Justice components—such as the Public Integrity Section, National Security Division, and Violent Crime and Racketeering Section—to coordinate major investigations and litigation.

“We are thrilled to welcome Maurene to our firm,” said Patterson Belknap Co-Chair and Managing Partner Dahlia Doumar. “Her exceptional skill, depth of experience, and commitment to integrity make her a natural fit for our Litigation department and our White Collar Defense and Investigations practice.”

As a federal prosecutor, Ms. Comey handled 11 jury trials, supervised 17 additional jury trials, and briefed or argued 14 appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Among those, Ms. Comey supervised and led several prominent investigations and prosecutions. As a supervisor, she oversaw numerous significant matters, including the investigation, prosecution, and trial of former U.S. Senator Robert Menendez on charges of bribery and acting as a foreign agent. In her work as a line prosecutor, Ms. Comey handled some of the highest profile criminal prosecutions in the country. She prosecuted financier Jeffrey Epstein for sex trafficking minors and former OB-GYN Robert Hadden for sexually abusing dozens of patients. Ms. Comey also served as lead counsel in the trials of former socialite Ghislaine Maxwell for sexually abusing minors with Epstein, former police officer Nicholas Tartaglione for a quadruple murder, and music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs for sexually abusing multiple women.

Ms. Comey’s experience extends to various other complex and sensitive cases involving bank fraud, bribery, campaign finance, extortion, the Foreign Agent Registration Act, money laundering, racketeering, sanctions violations, sex trafficking, tax evasion, and wire fraud, among other offenses.

“Maurene’s arrival marks an exciting opportunity for our firm,” said Joshua Goldberg, Chair of Patterson’s Litigation department and Co-Chair of its White Collar Defense and Investigations group. “Her extensive trial experience and proven ability to lead complex, high-profile investigations will enhance the depth of our Litigation department and further bolster our ability to serve clients across the globe.”

Ms. Comey earned her J.D. in 2013 from Harvard Law School, where she served on the Harvard Law Review, and her B.A. summa cum laude in 2010 from The College of William & Mary. Ms. Comey previously served as a law clerk to the Hon. Loretta A. Preska of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and worked as a litigation associate at an international law firm in New York.

About Patterson Belknap

Patterson Belknap is a firm of approximately 200 lawyers, delivering a full range of services centered around three areas: litigation and disputes, corporate and transactions, and the legal needs of tax-exempt organizations and private clients.

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